Soch.la: The cricket-based social media platform

The website enables its members to comment, converse and share opinions on cricket with other members, especially during a cricket match.

The New Delhi-based social media education firm, Digital Vidya, has recently launched a social cricket platform called Soch.la. The website enables its members to comment, converse and share their opinions on cricket with other members, especially during a cricket match.

Currently, the website is open only for Facebook users. This implies that the user will require a Facebook account to become a member of the website. Once registered, Soch.la will automatically create an initial network of friends by adding the user's Facebook friends who are already members of the Socha.la platform.

Users will also get the option to discover and add people (who are not linked to them on Facebook) and create their own Soch.la networks.

Similar to Twitter, Soch.la uses the terminology of 'Following' and 'Followers' to describe the linkage relationship among users. 'Following' indicates other Soch.la users who the user has added in his Soch.la network to get updates or comments posted by them.

One can add friends or follow other Soch.la users by clicking on a button titled 'Follow', displayed near the picture of any Soch.la user on his 'Profile' page, which displays the activity/comments shared by the user. Though a follower can see updates of those he is following, they can't see his updates unless they are followers in turn.

Apart from acting as a platform for conversations around cricket matches, the website also provides score updates to its users and engages them through polls.

Speaking to afaqs!, Pradeep Chopra, co-founder, Digital Vidya, says, "The thought about Soch.la struck a few weeks ago while I, along with Kapil Nakra and Manas Garg (the other co-founders), were discussing how we can have better experience and more fun around the ICC Cricket World Cup. We soon realised that 'socialising around cricket' is what every cricket fan around the world enjoys. Thus, we launched Soch.la."

Chopra adds, "Our current focus is 'user experience' and 'user growth'. However, we have plans to monetise Soch.la through advertisements and sponsorships. Apart from banner advertising, there could be advertising opportunities around new posts/comments. Also, we could opt for sponsors for score flashes on key occasions such as boundaries and sixes. Similarly, Social Games, wherein people can buy virtual items using real money, is another monetisation opportunity that we could explore."

The company plans to use this platform beyond cricket. Chopra says, "Surely, it has the potential to go beyond cricket and for that matter, to go beyond sports. A lot of users have suggested that, but our current focus is cricket and it will stay so till we are sure that we have done our job to give a world class experience to cricket fans around the globe."

The company will promote the social media platform through Facebook Ads and word-of-mouth marketing.